Thesis Paintings - Bald Eagle and Griffon Vulture

Here is the seventh out of ten paintings, the bald eagle:



...and the eighth of ten paintings, the griffon vulture:



Previously posted paintings:

Mongolian Eagle Hunters
Barn Owl - Mousers
Harpy Eagle - Overlooking Tikal
Saker Falcon - Desert Hunters
Red-tailed Hawk - Farmland Guard
Peregrine Falcon - Duck Hawk

Upcoming paintings (in the following order):

Lanner Falcon - Eye of Horus
Gyrfalcon - Bird of Kings

Griffon Vulture Progress and Lanner Falcon Sketch

More progress on the Griffon Vulture, plus a sketch of the next painting, which will explore the Lanner Falcon as the Egyptian god Horus.



And the sketch of the Lanner Falcon:



The sun and moon behind the falcon represent the belief that Horus' eyes were the sun and moon. I placed the focus on the Lanner's head since the shape of the Eye of Horus is believed to mirror that of the Lanner Falcon's facial markings.

Griffon Vulture - Thesis Progress 1

Here is the first progress shot of the griffon vulture. As mentioned before, I am working quickly since I have this and two other paintings to finish within the week!


(Click for a larger version)

After looking at my previous illustrations, I realized all my lighting was shining right on the figure. This is the first I've done where I've experimented with backlighting. I think it creates a more interesting overall tone.

And the papyrus is giving me quite a bit of trouble. I think I'm going to have to break out the white gouache for this, but I think I can make it work.

Griffon Vulture Sketch

Thesis painting #8 will be the griffon vulture. In Egypt, this bird was the symbol of the goddess Nekhbet. Its head was used on the Upper Crown and its wings were a common decoration for the headdresses of royalty.



It was believed that when the griffon vulture turned its back to the southeast, that it would become fertilized. For this reason among others, it was considered a symbol of fertility.

In this painting, I wanted to show the vulture with its back to the southeast, with the sun streaming through its feathers. All around it are papyrus, a plant that grew on the Nile River.